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The Relation Between Ankle-Brachial Index (ABI) and Coronary Artery Disease Severity and Risk Factors: An

Masoumeh Sadeghi1, Ramin Heidari, Baharak Mostanfar

  • 1MD, Associate Professor of Cardiology, Cardiac Rehabilitation Research Center, Isfahan Cardiovascular Research Institute, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran.

ARYA Atherosclerosis
|May 12, 2012
PubMed

Insights

The ankle-brachial index (ABI) effectively identifies cardiovascular risk factors and coronary artery disease severity in patients. This non-invasive test aids in assessing atherosclerosis and potential blockages in coronary arteries.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiovascular Medicine
  • Diagnostic Imaging
  • Vascular Health

Background:

  • Coronary artery disease (CAD) poses a significant health burden.
  • Assessing cardiovascular risk factors and disease severity is crucial for patient management.
  • The ankle-brachial index (ABI) is a non-invasive measure of peripheral artery disease.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the relationship between ABI and angiographic findings in patients with suspected CAD.
  • To determine the association between ABI and major cardiovascular risk factors.
  • To evaluate ABI as a potential diagnostic tool for CAD severity.

Main Methods:

  • A cross-sectional study involving 125 patients with suspected CAD.
  • Data collection included demographics, medical history, and cardiovascular risk factors.
  • ABI measurement was performed, with ABI ≤ 0.9 indicating peripheral vessel disease.
  • Coronary artery angiography was conducted for all participants.
  • Statistical analyses compared ABI groups with angiographic results and risk factors.

Main Results:

  • 20% of patients had an ABI ≤ 0.9, indicating peripheral vessel disease.
  • Higher prevalence of atherosclerotic risk factors (diabetes, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, smoking) in the ABI-positive group.
  • Patients with ABI ≤ 0.9 showed significantly more severe coronary artery stenosis and occlusion.
  • Specific coronary arteries (LMA, RCA, LAD, D1, LCX) demonstrated higher mean occlusion in the ABI-positive group.

Conclusions:

  • ABI is a valuable tool for assessing atherosclerotic risk factors in patients with suspected CAD.
  • ABI correlates with the degree of coronary artery involvement and stenosis.
  • Further large-scale studies are recommended to validate ABI's role in diagnosing and preventing CAD.
Abstract

Keywords:
AngiographyAnkle–Brachial IndexAtherosclerotic Risk Factors.

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